Curran bothers embrace break to help recharge batteries

Tom and Sam Curran are taking the new normal in their st ride, using the corona virus enforced break to mentally recharge from their taxing England and franchise obligations over the last couple of years.

Both Curran brothers should have now been at the Indian Premier League, Tom with Rajasthan Royals and Sam at Chennai Super Kings, but the pandemic has led to a shut down of all major sporting events.

Cricket in this country is on hold until at least May 28 and, while Tom admitted the uncertainty is unhelpful, the pair agreed that this hiatus is a welcome opportunity to take a breather and prepare for future assignments.

Sam travelled to New Zealand, South Africa and Sri Lanka this winter - albeit the latter tour was hal ted-and represented England in all formats while Tom juggled his limited oversduties with a spell in Australia' s Big Bash.

Sam said: "When I went to Sri Lanka I had my mind set on three months in the subcontinent with those two Tests and then going off to India. It was going to be a massive stint and now I' m at home and it is weird seeing tweets that say it was supposed to be Rajasthan Royals vs Chenna and things like that. It does make you miss the game and want to be out there but, at the same time, you don' t get the time to have a break and get mentally refreshed again. You have to appreciate the time off is quite refreshing."

Tom added :" I think we play so much now, you're just used to rolling on from one thing to the next so it is strange. It is a terrible time, but we seldom get a break like this in what would be the middle of our summer. We're trying to stay positive so that when we do come back we're in a good position to kick on mentally and physically for the years to come.

"Everyone is just making do and trying to stay fit and healthy without knowing when we are going to start again. That is the hardest thing, the simply not knowing what you' re training for next ."

Efforts to stay sharp and be ready to hit the ground running when cricket does get the green light to start again are slightly complicated by the fact the pair live in separate apartments.

Tom said :" I can' t quite come off the long run on the balcony! We are just making do.

"We' ve got medicine balls to do some slams and when I go for a run on the road, I slow it down and go through my action a couple of times just to keep the movements going."